Critical Theory of Technology: an Overview
Andrew Feenberg · 2008
Critical theory of technology combines insights from philosophy of technology and constructivist technology studies. A framework is proposed for analyzing technologies and technological systems at several levels, a primary level at which natural objects and people are decontextualized to identify affordances, complemented by a secondary level of recontextualization in natural, technical and social environments. Technologies have distinctive features as such while also exhibiting biases derived from their place in society. The technical code is the rule under which technologies are realized in a social context with biases reflecting the unequal distribution of social power. Subordinate groups may challenge the technical code with impacts on design as technologies evolve. Examples are discussed from biotechnology and computing.